Union Minister's Son Absconding in POCSO Case, Family Alleges Blackmail Amidst Bail Efforts

A Union Minister's 25-year-old son, Bandi Bhagirath, is absconding for 10 days after a POCSO case was filed against him for allegedly committing a wrong act with a 17-year-old minor girl, while his family attempts to discredit the girl and secure bail.

What's right

Bandi Bhagirath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, is indeed facing a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case, which was registered on May 8,

He is currently absconding, and police teams have been dispatched to locate him. The alleged victim is reported to be a 17-year-old minor girl. Allegations state that he sexually assaulted her at a farmhouse in Moinabad on December 31, 2025, and in the early hours of January 1, 2026, after allegedly forcing her to consume alcohol. Bandi Bhagirath's legal team has filed a counter-complaint, alleging honey-trap, blackmail, and extortion, claiming the family demanded Rs 5 crore. His family is actively seeking anticipatory bail, and his legal counsel is attempting to argue that the girl may not be a minor, citing conflicting birth certificates and a previous underage driving case to challenge the applicability of POCSO. Social media campaigns have been observed circulating photos and videos of the girl, attempting to discredit her and portray the case as a honey trap. Videos of Bandi Bhagirath involved in a fight previously went viral in January 2023.

What's wrong

The claim that Bandi Bhagirath has been absconding for '10 days' is inaccurate. The FIR was registered on May 8, 2026, making the period of his abscondence approximately 7 days as of May 15,

The claim that 'North Indian media is not covering the case much because it is from the South' is false. Major national news outlets, including those with a significant presence in North India, have extensively covered the case.

Breakdown

The core claims regarding the POCSO case, Bandi Bhagirath's identity, his father's ministerial position, the allegations, the counter-allegations of blackmail, the attempts to discredit the victim, and the efforts to secure bail were accurate around the upload date of May 15, 2026, and remain accurate as of today. However, the duration of his abscondence is overstated in the claim (7 days vs.

10 days). Additionally, the assertion about limited North Indian media coverage is incorrect, as several prominent national news organizations have reported on the matter.

The age of Bandi Bhagirath is stated as 25 in the transcript, which is supported by one source, while another source states he is 23. [1][2][3]

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Union Minister's Son Absconding in POCSO Case, Family Alleges Blackmail Amidst Bail Efforts

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